Vibrator for massage purposes



July 13 1926.

G. vJ. MACAURA YIBRATOR FOR MASSAGE PURPOSES Filed May 9. 1924 2Sneets-5heet Patented July 13, 1926.

Unirse STATES AGERALD JOSEPH MACAURA, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

visitaron non Massacre PURPOSES.

vApplication filed lYlay 9, 1924, Serial No. 712,125, and in GreatBritain May 23, 1923.

This invention relates to vibrators for n'iassage purposes and it refersmorev particularly to vibrators for hand use in cases where itis desiredito subject the patient,

5 `during the massaging operation, to treatment by currentsotelectricity.

` lVith vibrators ot thisl kind as hitherto constructed it is found thatIthere is a lack ot] :)ei1etrative`power whereby itis difficult 10 ltoeffectivelytreat'lparts deeply seated in the body owing to' interveningheavy muscular or other tissue or matter, such tor example as thoseofthe hipwhich must be penet ated in order to treat sciatica. Furtherwith the hand actuated vibrators oi'lnown i'orm the vibrationsare to a'great extent absorbed by the body oi the operator.

`Where the vibrations are produced by means oi' a moving unbalanced bodyor mass ot such weight as to produce the desired penetration, Ithesupport and operation ot' the device is apt to 4tatigue the operator sothat the treatment can only be effectively administered for`comparatively short periods ottime.

Moreover', withvvibrators as gener lly constructed, the vibrationsare-in the nature ot light hammer blows or percussions the direction ofimpact being substantially7` at a yright angle to' the'body beingoperated upon. The present invention has-tor its object to'overcome theaforesaid disadvantages and to provide a device which shall embody thesource ot electrical energy, the weight ot ,3,5 the parts of thegenerator or other source oi' electrical supply beingl employed toincrease the moinentumkot a moving part ot the device thereby'enablingvthe 'operator to apply it with sullicient pressure to secure,4.0 the desired resultwithout piatigue.

According to one `form oi this invention l employ a train ot gearingoperated by means ot `a handle. The gearing operates a tlyavheel whichforms part of Va magnetoelectric generator, `or it may contain aninduction or other coil whereby currents oi' the desired potential maybe obtained, the batteries tor the coil inthe latter case beingdisposed'in or upon' the `trame or case sup- V porting the gearing.Alternatively the battery may be disposed inthe iiy-wheel.

Tliegearing also operates a lever arranged to swing `in` a planeparallel to the plane ot rotation `of the gearinghaving a leverage ratioof atleast tworto one and provided tion't'here is obtained a lkneadingaction. 65

'In order to secure the necessary pressure during the processotapplication theouter 'end of the trame or case is lprovided with acurvedplate ot metal or other material, ,the ends of which are providedwith rubber 70 studs or caps or other suitable bodies, the. operatorresting same 1against hisperson so that :he may utilize the weight .othis body both to increase .the penetrative .power ot the vibrations andto assist in supporting 75 the device and so relieve the strain whichwould otherwise be thrown upon the arm.

In order that the invention may be the betterunderstood drawings areappended in which 80 Fig. 1 is a side view off a i'orm oit vibratoraccording to this invention,

lFig. 2 is a side view of the opposite side,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on line A-A Fig. 1, f 85 `Fig` 4 is a.plan as seen from above, Fig. 5 is a cross-section upon line ,li-l

Fig. i, l

Fig. 6 is a view showing more clearly .the .rotor ot the generator, 0o

lFig. 7 is a section on line .iD-D Fig. .GfV

Fig. 8 isa section on line @-0 Fig'l, .showing more clearlythe-arrangement ot' the contact maker Afor Athe generator',

9 is a diagrammatic view showing the U5 arrangement ot the circuits.

leierring to theaccompanying drawings lindir'fates a case ci' circularcross-sectioned outline' which may be formed inv two or more parte. Y2,and vindicate plates which may 100 bedisposed respectively upon thesides ot the case and in the interior thereotl the plato i beingdisposed in suitable spaced relationship to the side plate 3.Supportedby the plates 3 and 4t is a spindle 5 extending outwardly tromplate l and having suitable provision thereon tor` the attachment ot ahandle 6. Thespindle r5 has secured to it a pinion with which ,engages asecond pinion 8 mounted upon a sleeve 9 supported 110 by a crank shaftrevolubly supported by the aforesaid plates 3 and Ll. The cranl; pin ofshaztt 10 engages the forked end 11 of a lever 11?L said lever beine`itulffruined upon a pin 12 carried by a metal body 13 supported byWooden or other members 1e!-V l'orniii'ig the bac and :front ot an opensided case or frame in 'which the body ot the lever is contained. Thebody 13 is connected to the outer ends of the members by means oi screwsor the like passing through lugs or plates 1 5 formed upon said body.The innei` ends ol the members 14 are connected to case fi by means olithe angle plates or brackets 1a upon said trame. A suitable openinglformed in case 1 for the passage ot' the lever 11a.

1G and 16" indicate pinic-ns mounted upon a spindle 1Ga supported by theplates 3, il, the pinion 1S engages with the pinion 7, the pinion 161engaging; a pinion 1T mounted upon the spindle 1T carrying the permanentnnignets oit' the rotor of the generator.

The rotor comprises two i-shaped magnets arranged end to end upon aplate 18 oi" suitable outline said magnets being held against outwardmovement under the action et centrifugal torce by the angle plates 19carried by projections 2O formed upon the plate 18 the spacing' of theprojections being such as to permit ot the longitudinal adjustment ofthe magnets for balancing' or other purposes.

22 indicates an outer plate or cover having' an opening therein tor thearmature.

Pole pieces, such as 23, are provided Which are formed integrally withthe plate 18, or secured thereto in any suitable manner.

The stator or armature 2li, Which may be oi' solid or lan'iinousconstruction, is ot ordii'iary H-lorm and has secured to it at one end aplate or disc 2li@ hai/'ing a central aperture engaging a pin orprojection 17" upon the inner end ot the spindle 17a oi the rotor, theopposite end et said armature being si cured by screws to the plate 2.The spindle el the rotor is reduced as shown at 17C and secured 'to suchextension is a contact maker comprising` a body 25 oi substantiallyellip tical outline.

Secured in any suitable manner to 'the exterior of plate et is a plate2G oi vuleanite or other non-conductor having' a circular opening` 26athe center of which is co-incident with the center of the spindle of therotor. The opening 2G is recessed to contain an annular metal body 26h.An arm is pro vided upon the body 26') whereby its angular adjustmentmay be ell'ected.

Secured in any suitable manner to the interior ot the metal body 26D isa contact designed to engage the contact maker 25 mounted upon spindle17. By varyin` the position oit the contact the current "th may beregulated may be dellihen it is desired to scure impulses olf shorterduration than is possible where the arrangen'ient lirst above describedalone employed, a spindle is provided journalled in plate 2G and drivenin any itable manner it'roin a convenient member ot the gearing.

A disl; 30 ot' non-conductinomaterial con- V ned in a cupped metal body231 is inounled upon spindle lassii'ip,- through the disk 30 and rivetedor otherwise secured at one end to the cupped niet-al body 531 is a pin32. Revolul'ily mounted upon a pin carried by a plaie 7 an arni 353operable by means of a linger piece 3f-l and having upon its under orinner ilace a stud designed, when the arm is properly positioned, tocontact with the pin 32 each time vthe same travels around with `thedisk 30.

A contact stud Se is attached to one end of a spring strip 323 andpressed by said strip onto the under side oitI the cupped body 31, theother end of said springstrip beingl so bent that it contacts with thebody 2Gb.

li desired a condenser may be included in the it to insure theei'iieiency.

Circuits for the above described arrangements are as shown more clearlyin Fig, S). where L indicates the lead troni the armature to the arm 33,and o the lead from the other end of the armature winding which 'isconnected to a terminal 3T to which may be connected a handle to be heldby the patient.

'f he current from lead a passes from arin 33, through pin 32, stud531i, spring strip 33a, then through the contact maker spindle 17C tothe frame of the machine and thence to a plate upon the massage element,or alternately the spindle 17C carrying' the contact maker 25 may beinsulated :troni the rest oi the machine, a brush bearing upon saidspindle being connected to a terminal to which a conductor may beattached hav ing` a handle, pad or other means lor application to thepatients body.

The spring strip 33, is provided. with :i pin 33h which passes throughthe body Lid, and is ol such length that the arm 2:33 may be swunglaround to enable the sind 35 lo contact with it, thereby causiingthecurreni impulses to be governed solely by lthe contact maker 25.

ln order to secure the necessary pres ure during the application oi" thevibrator to the patient there is provided upon the case 1 a curvedplat-e 'formed oii metal or any other suitable material the ends otwhich are provided with pads or bu tiers which` in the example shown,are in the 'forni of rubber caps e.

In use the caps rest against the operators mem-14a person therebyenabling him-to utilize the weight of his bod-y to incerase` thepenetratingipovver of the vibrations and' to assist in supporting thedeyice whereby vhe is relieved of the strain which kwould otherwise beimposed upon him.

The massage element llbi which is secured in anyl suitable manner to theouter endfo't the lever lla, by means of a metal plate 'llic which is`secured to the end of said lever, the element lib being recessed oiritsunder side to take the plate l1c which acts as the electrode.

It will be noted that the rotor lies closely adjacent to the lever Illaand therefore close to the longitudinal center line of the device, andclose to the point of support for the device as a Whole, by this meansfacilitating its manipulation.

Moreover, the rotor having a gyroscopic action tends to steady the outerend of the said device, and further being located upon the opposite sideof the device to the handle tends to oppose the twisting effort createdby the turning of said handle.

Suitable provision may be made for varying the edective length of' thelever carrying the massage element.

Claims:

l. In a hand actuated massage device, in combination, an oscillatorymassage member, a train of gearing operably connected to said massagemember, a crank for operating the gearing, a ily Wheel, and means forproducing a current of electricity for application to 'the patient, partof .said current producingmeans being incorporated in the fly Wheel.

2. In a hand actuated massage device, in combination a massage member, atrain of gearing operably connected to said massage member, a crank foroperating the gearing, a iiy Wheel, and an electric generator driven bythe said gearing and including a rotor incorporated in the fly Wheel.

3. yIn a. hand actuated massage device, in combination an oscillatorymassage. member, a train of gearing operably connected to said massagemember, a crank for operating the gearing, a fly Wheel, and an electricgenerator driven by the said gearing, and having field magnetsincorporated in the fly Wheel.

d. In a hand actuated massage device, in combination an oscillatorymassage member, a train of gearing operably connected to said massagemember, a crank `for operating the gearing, a fly Wheel, an electricgenerator driven by the said gearing and including a rotor incorporatedin the fly Wheel, and means for periodically interrupting the currentproduced by said generator.

5. `In a hand actuated massage device hav ing an oscillatory massagemember, in combination, a train of gearing operably connected to saidmassage member, a crank t'or Operating the gearing, af flyr Wheel, meansfor `producing -a current 'ofi electri t L' plication to the patient,part'oii'fsaid:means beingl incorporated in the flyi wheel, and meansforperiodically interrupting the current produced by said means-I Y 6;In a han'dactuatedl massage device,in combination anV oscillatorymassage member, a trainI of gearing operably,` connect-ed to saidmassage member, a. crank for operating the gearing, a fly Wheel, anelectric generator driven. by the said gearing having'eldmagnets'incorporated in the flywheel,V and means lfor periodicallyinterrupting' the current produced" bysaid generator.

7. In a hand' actuated massage device, in combination an oscillatorymassage member, a train of gearing operably connected to said massagemember, a crank for operating the gearing, a fly Wheel, means Jforproducing a `current of electricity for application to the patient, partof said current producing means being incorporated in the fly Wheel, acam mounted upon a shaft driven by the gearing, and a contact With whichthe cam periodically contacts for making and breaking the circuit. p

8. In a hand actuated massage device, in combination an oscillatorymassage member, a train ot gearing operably connected to said massagemember, a crank for operating the gearing, a fiy Wheel, an electricgenerator driven by the said gearing and having a rotor incorporated inthe fly Wheel, and means for periodically interrupting the electriccurrent at any desired point in the path of rotation of the rotorwhereby the strengtl'i of current may be varied, said means comprising acam mounted upon a shaft driven by the gearing and a movable contactwith Which-the cam periodically contacts.

9. In a hand actuated massage device, in combination an oscillatorymassage member, a train of' gearing oper-ably connected to said massagemember, a crank for operat ing the gearing, a fly Wheel, an electricgenerator driven by the said gearing and baving a rotor incorporated inthe fly Wheel.y and means for periodically interrupting and varying thestrength of the current comprising a cani mounted upon the shaft of therotor, and an adjustable contact `with which the cani periodicallycontacts.

l0. In a hand actuated massage device, in combination an oscillatorymassage member, a Vtrain of gearing operably connected to said massagemember, a crank for operating the gearing, a fly Wheel, an electricgenerator' driven by the said gearing, the rotor of which isincorporated in the. fly Wheel, means for periodically interrupting andvarying the strength of the current comprising a cam mounted upon theshaft of the rotor, an adjustable contact with which the camperiodically contacts, and means for splitting up each of the currentimpulses into a nuiubei' of other impulses of a considerably hi gjherfrequency.

l1. In a hand actuated massage device, in coii'ibination an oscillatory7massage inen'iber, a train oi gearing' operably connected to said'inaseage ineuiber, a crank Ytor operai;ina` the gearing, a fly wheel,an electric `generator driven by the Said gearing having a rotoriiicorporaited in the l'ly Wheel, nieans for periodically interrupting'and Varying the strength of the current produced by said generator andcon'iprisingl a cani mounted upon the shaft of the rotor, an adjustablecontact with which the cani periodicallyv contacta and ineans lorsplitting up cach o'i the current impulses into a iiun'iber of iinpulsesot a higher frequency, said means coniprisiug' a disk mounted upon ashaft driven by the gearing' at a high Speed relatively to the speed oifthe rotor'o'tl the genera- GERALD JOSEPH MACAURA.

